William Calvin Smith

For over 25 years, Cal Smith has advised companies and their boards of directors on numerous high profile M&A and other complex corporate transactions for public companies, including spin-offs, buyouts and other special situations.

Cal also has extensive experience counseling boards of directors, CEOs and other C-Suite executives with respect to shareholder and stakeholder activism, proxy fights and preparedness, takeover defense and corporate governance as well as fiduciary duties and risk oversight, including as to ESG, cybersecurity and engaging with institutional investors and other key governance constituencies. Cal was Corporate Secretary of Georgia-Pacific Corporation when it was acquired by Koch Industries, Inc. in a deal valued at $21 billion. Cal’s practice also involves significant capital markets-related work and counseling regarding SEC reporting requirements.

Mr. Smith co-leads the firm’s Public Companies Practice Group.